Podcast # 469: Go PO

Author: Dave Rosenberg, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Nothing by mouth (NPO) status routinely used before surgery to reduce the theoretical risk of aspiration
• However, surgery poses a large physiological stress. Calories and fluid are needed to overcome stresses like these
• Patients who drank 1/2 strength Gatorade up to 2 hours before surgery did better than those who did not

References

Alyssa Cheng-Cheng Zhu, Aalok Agarwala, Xiaodong Bao. Perioperative Fluid Management in the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Pathway. Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery 2019; 32(02): 114-120. DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1676476

Summarized by Will Dewispelaere, MS3 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD